Adaptive Armor is specialized Protosteel armor designed by Artakha and worn by the Toa Nuva. The armor detects its environment using onboard sensors[1] and automatically shapeshifts to fit its wearer's situation and surroundings.[OGDi: Apr 10 2008, 09:49 PM][OGDi: Dec 31 2009, 12:02 PM] In addition to the plating itself, a full suit of Adaptive Armor includes adaptive Protosteel Toa Tools, Kanohi/Kanohi Nuva, and launcher weapons.

Known Forms

Default Form

When in its default configuration, Adaptive Armor looks similar to its wearer's ordinary armor.[OGDi: Aug 14 2008, 06:08 PM]

Sky Form

In the skies of Karda Nui, the armor optimized itself for flight. Specific flight equipment, such as jets and wings, varied by user. The armor also formed a yellow-green filter over the Toa's eyes to protect them from damage at high speeds.[citation needed]

Swamp Form

The armor used in Karda Nui's swamp was similar to that used in its skies; the major difference was that rather than shapeshifting high speed flight equipment, the armor used less powerful jets and fins to keep the user above the swamp floor. An eye filter was also active in this form.

Vehicle Form

When the Toa Nuva pilot vehicles such as the Rockoh T3, Jetrax T6, and Axalara T9, their armor deactivates all extra equipment, including their adaptive Toa Tools. Their masks also gain aerodynamic fins and shapeshift visors that feature head-up displays for targeting purposes.[BL11, p. 64]

Space Form

When Lewa was teleported into the void of space, his armor adapted to the vacuum.[2] In this form, his armor prevented him from freezing and provided him with thrust and navigational abilities so he could maneuver in outer space.[3]

Desert Form

When Tahu and the other Toa Nuva emerged from the Great Spirit Robot onto the desert of Bara Magna, their armor adapted to include sand filters on their masks, shaded eyepieces, hydration packs, internal cooling systems, and extra seals between their joints to keep out the sand.[4]

Jungle Form

When Lewa entered the forests of Bota Magna, his armor adapted to include an internal cooling system, cutting implements to allow him to pass through dense foliage, and radar capabilities to overcome limited visibility.[4]

Underwater Form

Snow/Ice Form

The armor adapts to add extra layers into the armor to insulate the Toa from cold temperatures.[5]

Adaptive Weapons

In addition to their armor, the Toa Nuva each received an adaptive Toa Tool and adaptive Protosteel launcher.
The launchers adapt to the Toa's opponents rather than to their environment; these tend to take the form of existing weapons rather than original designs. The Phantoka Toa Nuva's weapons shapeshifted into Midak Skyblasters, which fire spheres of Light that were effective against their Makuta foes. Meanwhile, the Mistika Toa Nuva's weapons took the form of Nynrah Ghost Blasters, which fired energy that the Toa could shape with their minds.

The adaptive Toa Tools shapeshifted into non-existing weapons, although when Tahu was devolved into a Toa Mata his tool changed to a form resembling his original Fire Sword.

Projectile Weapons

Set Information

In early 2008, the Toa Nuva Pohatu, Toa Nuva Lewa and Toa Nuva Kopaka sets were released, representing the Toa's armor adapted for the skies of Karda Nui. In mid-2008, sets depicting the swamp-adapted forms of Toa Nuva Gali, Toa Nuva Tahu and Toa Nuva Onua were released, as well as the vehicle-adapted forms of Pohatu and Lewa that accompanied the Rockoh T3 and Axalara T9 sets, respectively.

In 2010, the additional armor featured on the BIONICLE Stars Tahu set represents his Adaptive Armor in its default form.